Illusion?
by tsugumi kohina
Summary: Everyone was so busy lately, while Inuyasha was sitting around bored out of his mind...until one day Ayame shows him something he couldn't help thinking about. HER with HIM...?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, which belongs to Rumiko Takahashi**

_**Chapter 1: For Real?**_

It was a fine morning in the feudal era of Japan. Naraku is defeated, and there had been less and less cases of villagers being targeted by demons ever since. Kagome stayed there permanently, bearing the role of a priestess and visiting her family from time to time. Just a usual peaceful day.

Inuyasha was sitting in Kaede's hut, bored out of his mind. Miroku went off to slay a minor demon said to be invading someone's hut, Sango was busy taking care of her three children, Shippo was taking a fox-demon exam, and Kaede plus Kagome was nowhere to be seen. Sesshomaru was gone too...somewhere. Not that he cared, of course, but it just felt like everybody had gone off and left him alone. Even his lame older brother would do as companion right now. THAT'S how bored he is. He just...NEEDED to see somebody around him, it can be anybody.

He sighed exasperatedly. Jeez...if this is how it was going to turn out, he'd rather go back to earlier times when he had to kick Naraku's ass, or did an argument with that wimpy wolf Koga! Those days were never boring. Annoying, maybe, and exhausting too, but not BORING.

Sighing again, he stood up, thinking to get some fresh air outside. But before he could take a step, the wooden door flung open, and in came someone...familiar.

The visitor was a woman. She emerald green eyes and brown hair that was tied into two ponytails. She was wearing...white wolf fur?

Inuyasha had to think for a while before recognizing her."Hey...you're that wimpy wolf's-"

"Yeah, Koga's wife, Ayame. Glad you remembered," she said quickly. The girl was panting and sweating all over her body, as if somebody had just told her to run a thousand times around a mountain. Her complexion was pale, yet mixed with expressions of anxiety and shock.

"Listen..." Ayame continued, still panting, "Inuyasha...I need your help."

The half-demon scowled. "My help? What for?"

Ayame held up her hand. "No time to explain," she cut in, "if we talk now, we'll be wasting time, and the show would be over!"

"The show?"

Instead of answering, Ayame grabbed Inuyasha's arm and ran outside. Apparently she was a fast runner, because even Inuyasha couldn't keep up with the speed.

"Hey!" he yelled, "slow down, will you? Where are we going?"

"Bear with it!" Ayame yelled back, "I've got something to show you!"

Inuyasha was about to protest, but changed his mind. _Oh well_, he thought, _at least this will provide an entertainment_. He had nothing to do anyway.

After a certain period of running past fields, forests and riverbanks, finally Ayame stopped. They were near the mountain where the cave of the Eastern Wolf Demon Tribe lived. Wolf demons like Ayame were everywhere, mostly on patrol duty. Koga's two buds, the one with the spiky hair and the one with a strange hairstyle, Inuyasha vaguely remembered, were sitting at the mouth of the cave talking. The place reeked of wolf scents. But ordinary, just ordinary.

"You took me all the way here for a visit?" Inuyasha asked, "and what's this _show_ you were talking about earlier?"

Ayame looked at him with sad eyes, and for once, Inuyasha wondered what on earth happened to this woman. "Come here," she said.

Ayame led Inuyasha to the back of the mountain, walking around it for a few minutes until they reached a certain spot. It was a small forest at the back of the mountain, with a little spring and few chunks of rocks.

Inuyasha was about to say something, but chose not to when Ayame crouched behind a bush. She gestured for him to join her. As curiosity won out, Inuyasha walked over and plopped down beside her.

"What-"

"Shhh! Quiet!" Ayame hissed, "watch."

She pointed to a corner, and as Inuyasha's gaze followed her index finger, he almost choked at what he had seen.

Two figures were there, both with long dark hair. One was a woman and the other was a man. Both of them were talking, and from the looks of it they seemed to be having fun. Inuyasha and Ayame watched as they laughed and chatted. They seemed so happy together...Oh, and by the way, those two people were Kagome and Koga.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped as he viewed the scene. _What are THEY doing here? Kagome SAID she was out to look for herbs! _He glanced at Ayame, who was absolutely silent with a hurt look on her face. They continued to stare at the scene, until Kagome and Koga stopped talking and headed toward their direction.

Quick as a flash, Ayame and Inuyasha ran back all the way to the front mountain base again.

"What...what is KAGOME doing there?" Inuyasha stuttered when they were all alone.

"You see what I mean?" Ayame said, "they've been doing this for the past few weeks!"

"Don't tell me...Kagome lied about collecting herbs and visited Koga instead?"

Ayame sighed. "I don't know about her, but Koga's been acting weird lately. He keeps on going out _everyday_ at the _same time_. At first I didn't mind because I thought he was out to look for food or something, but two days ago, he was out later than usual. I got a little bored without him, so I decided to go outside and look for him, and that's when I spotted him..._err_..._talking_...with Kagome."

"And you came looking for me today?"

The wolf demon nodded. "Since that day onwards, I kept following Koga to see if he did the same thing...and, well... he did. Today I can't take it anymore, so I gave up and decided to look for you. I thought you would also be concerned by this...matter."

"Do you know what they're talking about?"

"No. I can't hear a thing...they spoke with such low voices that its impossible to hear them. And I'm afraid if we moved closer they'll spot us."

"Keh!" Inuyasha scowled finally, "that wimpy wolf sure made a lot of trouble! And Kagome, too? I can't believe this is happening!Mark my words, when Kagome gets back, I'm gonna-"

"NO!" Ayame suddenly yelled, a horrified look on her face. "Don't do it, you idiot! Pretend you didn't know ANYTHING about this! Keep it from Kagome!"

"What? Why?"

The she-demon rolled her eyes. "Do you really think she'll tell the truth? The fact that she's meeting up with Koga WITHOUT telling anyone means she doesn't want YOU to know about it! Use your head! Besides, this is a matter that we should take care of ourselves."

Inuyasha stayed silent. He wanted to ask Kagome head-on, but Ayame was darn right. He didn't like this at all, but he was curious...and irritated...and upset. If he was going to find out, he was going to find out with Ayame.


End file.
